Barrel-making machine



Aug. 4, 1925.

H. c. ALLSTQN BARREL MAKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 25, 1923 WITNESSES ATTORNEY Aug. 4, 1925.

WITN ESS ES M WM H. c. ALLsToN 7 BARREL MAKING MACHINE Filed oci. 25, 1923 4 Sheets-nes?. 2

Aug. 4, 1925. 1,548,649

H. C. ALLSTO N BARREL MAKING MACHINE l Filed Oct. 25, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVr-:Nrofa ATTORNEY connection with the Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

UNITED STATES HUGH concurran Amston, or ADAMS RUN, SOUTH CAROLINA.

BARREL-MAKING MACHINE.

Appiicatin sied october 25, 1923. seriai No. 670,746.

To all whom. it may concern: n

Be it known that I, HUGH C. ALLsToN, a citizen of the United Stat-es. residing at Adams Run, in the county of Charleston and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Barrel-Making Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an yimproved barrel making machine, which is especially adapted for making barrels of the type which consists of strips of veneer, held by series of hoops inside and outside andy stapled thereto. i f

rPhe general object ,of the invention isto provide a machine for making barrels of this type, and by which the entire process of making the barrel may be carried out continuously and mechanically without removing the barrel from the machine. The process of making the vbarrel includes the clamping of the inner hoops and the veneer in ,their proper relative position, expanding the veneer into the shape ofthe completed barrel, and then feeding all of the outer hoops and simultaneously stapling the same as the expanding mechanism 'with the barrel is rotated step by step. i

This inventionis in the nature of an improvement over the construction shown in my earlier application No. 593,112, filed October 7, 1922, which was designed to apply the outer end hoops, the barrel being then transferred to another machine for forming the bulge and applying the intcrmediate outer hoops. y

The present invention comprises novel means for supporting the barrel blanks dur ing the initial partr of the process, novel means for clamping and holding the veneer, shaping and expanding the same.`as well as various other novel details of construction and combinations of elements which will be more fully pointed out in the following detailed description, which is to be read in accompanying` drawings. l

In the drawings Figure 1 is a frontelevation of a barrel making machine constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken longi- 4tudinally through the barrel supporting means, with the barrel in position thereon.

Figure 3 is `an enlarged sectional view taken longitudinally through the barrel supporting means, showing the same in position to receive the next blank.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken transvei'sely of the barrel supporting means on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 2, with the veneer and hoops omitted.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken transversely through the mandrel on the line 6-6 of Figure 2, and showing the expanders in elevation.

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the hu and wings on which the expanders are mounted.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 3. p

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 4.

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view taken on vthe line 10-'10 of Figure 5.

Figure 11 is a sectional detail view showing one of the expander heads with means for clamping the inner hoop.l

Figure 12 is a detail horizontal sectional view through the gearing at the upper left hand corner of the machine, as viewed in Figure 1. p

Figure 13 is an end elevation of the same.

Figure14 is a detail view through the actuating shaft, showing one of the clutch members.

Figure 15 is a plan view of the same.

As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the machine includes a horizontal supporting base l, from which rises a pedestal 2, preferably in the form of a hollow casting and integral with the base 1. At a con# venient height, the pedestal is formed with a transverse opening 3, as illustrated in Figure 2, in which a suitable elongated tubular bearing member 4 is secured by means of a set screw 5, or other suitable means. A

vmandrel 6 is liournaled on the member 4,

and held against longitudinal movement thereon between a shoulder 7, formed on the pedestal, and a plate 8 secured by screws 9,01" other suitable means, to the outer end of the member 4. The mandrel 6 is adapted to be rotated step by step through the medium of a ratchet wheel 10 secured to the inner end thereof in any suitable manner, and actuated by means which will be subsquently described. A spindle 11 is slidably mounted within the member 4, and has a spider 12 journaled on its outer end and held between a shoulder 13 and nut 14, secured to the'end of the spindle.

A series of hubs `15 are secured by set screws 16 or the like on Vthe mandrel 6 in spaced relation, there being one hub for each hoop of the barrel. Each hub is surrounded by a series of radial wings 17 formed integral therewith or otherwise secured thereto, and forming a substantially continuous circular head, the wings being separated only by narrow slots 18; The outer faces of the wings are formed with laterally extending arcuate fianges 19, and the sides of the wings adjacent the slots 18 are formed with angular flanges 20, 'which form opposed channels, within which are guided the stems 21 of the arcuate barrel supporting and expanding heads 22. Each head 22 is formed with lateral inturned flanges 23. forming a channel within which to receive the inner hoop 24, around which the veneer 25, forming the sides of the barrel, is to be secured. Secured underneath the edges of theflanges 23, in each head 22, is a leaf spring 26, which extends into the channel of the next adjacent head, so that the heads'22 and springs 26 together form a continuous circular bearing surfac-e, on which'the hoop 24 may rest while the barrel is being stapled. The springs V26, as shown in Figure 10, may be secured bymeans of screws 27 passing through one of the flanges 23. i

It will be understood that a: series of expanding headsv 22 is provided under eachV hoop, and the outer surface of the head ,is sloped, as shown in Figure 2, to correspond to the curvature of the completed barrel. The wings 17 adjacent the inner endY of theA barrel are also provided on the inner side with pairs of opposed fianges 28, as shown in Figures and 6, each pair forming a guideway for the stem 29 of a clamping head 30, which has an inwardly projecting arcuate flange 31, adapted to extend over the end of the barrel and clamp` the same to the innermost expanding head 22. The

outer end of the barrel is held against the.

outer expanding head 22, by means of a wire hoop 31a.

Forthe purpose of actuating the clamping head 31 and expanding heads 22, a series of bladesy 32 are provided, which are pivoted at their outer ends, as at 33, to

the revoluble spider 12, and which traverse the respectii'feslots 34 formed in the inner ends of the stems 21-and 29, respectively. The' blades are adapted to be moved longitudinallyl by the reciprocation of the spindle 11, and are-slidably connected to the stems 21 and 29 by means of pins 35, which extend across the 'slots 34 and through cam slots '36 extending longitudinally of the blades and having inclined portions, which serve to expand and contract the heads 22 and 30 at the proper time and in the proper sequence. Secured to the mandrel 6 between certain of the expanding heads are a number of hubs. 37, veach provided with pairs of outwardly extending fingers 38, forming slots 39 between them for receiving the re-` spective blades Across each slot 39 is secured a pin or bolt 40, which extends through a longitudinal slot 41 in the blade 32 and guides the same in its longitudinal movement, so as to maintain it always in the same line.

In assembling the expander, each blade 32 is connected with the respective stems 21 and 29 by means of the screws 35, and the blade is then introduced through the slots 18 into its proper position and adjacent the hubs 15 and 37, after which the bolts40 may be inserted, thus confining the blades and limiting them to a longitudinal movement.

In starting the operation, the innerjhoops with a laterally extending lug 42, in which is pivotally Vmounted a clamping finger 43,

which is held against the hoop 24 to retain the latter in position by means `of an expansile coiled spring 44;

The means for actuating the various instrumentalities will now be explained. The pedestal 2 is provided atits upper end with an extension 45, which may be secured byl means of a flange coupling 46 or the like,

and this extension at its upper end is provided with a bearing 47, in which is journaled anactuating shaft 48. The outer end of the shaft may be `iournaled in a bearing 49 provided in a supporting member 50,

which is rigidly connected to the pedestal extension 45 by a bar 51, and may be other` wise supported from above. The shaft `48 has a. collar 52 secured thereto adjacent a drive gear 53, which is journaled on the shaft and may be connected to the collar 52 by a suitable clutch member hereinafter described, which ma-y be actuated atthe will of the operator. The gear 53 is normally driven continuously by a pinion 54 secured on a shaft 55, whichl is journaled at one end in a boss 56 formed on the pedestal extension 45,

and is journaled at its other end in a bearing 57 formed on lan arm 58 secured to the exy tension 45. The shaft 55is driven by a pulley 59.`which may be connected to any suitable `source of power. The shaft 48, when clutchedto `the gear 53, serves, by meansof an eccentric 60 and pitman 61, to actuate the ratchet Wheel 10 to lcause an intermittent rotative movement of the mandrel 6. During lthis intermittent rotation, the .outer hoops 62 are applied to the outside of the barrel, and are secured to the veneer 25 and to the inner hoops 24 by means of any Well known stapling mechanisms 63, which are actuated by means of eccentrics 64 secured to the shaft 48.l

On the opposite side yof the gear Wheel 58, a pinion 65 is journaled on the shaft 48 and is adapted at the Will of the operator to be operatively connected to the gear 458, and driven thereby through the actuation of a clutch,- similar to the clutch referred to above, which is actuated 4to connect the gear 58 to the collar 52, and Which will be hereinafter specifically described. The pinion 65 is in mesh with a gear 66 mounted on a stub shaft 67, which is supported in bearings 68 formed atl the upper end of an arm 69, which may be an integral part of the arm 58. A pinion 70, secured toA or formed integral With the gear 66, is in mesh with a gear 71 integrally connected with ak sleeve 7 2, whichv surrounds the shaft 48, and is journaled in bearings 7 8 formed at the upper end of the arm 58. Secured to the outer end of the sleeve 72 is a crank disk 74, which is driven through the gearing, just described, from the pinion 65, but at a reduced speed. A crank nin 75 on the disk 74 is connected through a pitman 76 to a. bell crankf77 pivoted, as at 78, to the pedestal 2. The opposite arm of the bell crank 77 is connected by means of a link 79 to the spindle 11, so ythat upon rotation of the crank disk 74, the bell crank 77 is rocked and the spindle 11 thereby reciprocated to' expand or contract the heads 22 which support the' barrel.

The clutch mechanism by means of which I t-he gear 53 is connected to or disconnected from the collar 52, 4as shown in Figures 14 and 15,inclu`des a clutch member 80, which is pivoted as at 81 to'an arm 82 extending from the upper portion of the pedestalk cap 45. lThe gea-r58 is provided on its side With a ,recess forming a shoulder 83, which is lidapted to be engaged by a pin 84slidably mounted in the collar 52, and urged toward the recess by an expansile coiled spring 85. When the clutch member 80 is raised, therefore', the pin 84 is free to engage the shoulder 83, and the collar 52 and shaft45 will be rotated. When the clutch member 80 is loivered, however, its concave pointed end 86 Will ride in a groove 87 formed in the collar, and will engage an inclined slot 88 in the pin'84 to retract the lat-ter and disconnect the collar from the driving gear. The clutch member 80 normally rests in the groove 87 and holds the pin 84 retracted. When it is desired to start the rotation of the shaft 48, the clutch member 80 is raised through the medium `of a rod 89, which is raised by the depression of a pedal 90 pivotally mounted on the base l.

The opposite side of the gear 53 is also provided With a shouldered recess 91, which is connected to or disconnected from the pinion 65 by meansA of a clutch member 92, pivot-ally mounted on the arm 98 extending from the upper end of the arm 58. The clutch member 92, and the mechanism connected therewith, is similar in all respects to the clutch mechanism controlling the operation of the collar 52, and is actuated through the medium of a rod 94 pivot-ally connected to the clutch'member 92 and con-- trolled through a pedal 95, ivhich is located adjacent to the pedal 90. It is to be understood that each of the pedals 90 and 95 is normally held up, and after being depressed is raised again by means of a coiled spring 96. or the like.

In' order that the rotation of the barrel may cease at the desired moment and not be carried forward by its inert-ia, a brake drum 97 is secured to the mandrel 6, and is surrounded by a brake band 98 supported by the pedestal 2, and adjustable by means of a thumb nut 99. The shaft 48 and the sleeve 72 are also provided with similar brakes 100 and 101, respectively.

As a temporary support for the barrel blank When it is being initially placed in position on the machine, a saddle 102 may be provided for supporting the outer end. This saddle is carried by a stem 103, which is yieldingly supported Within a sleeve 104, and which at the beginning of the rotative movement of the barrel and the st-apling operation may be depressed by means of a pedal 105, which may be locked down by means of a clip 106. y

lin the' operation of the machine, the efr,- p'anders are first in contracted position and the clamping members 30 expanded, as shown in Figure 8. and the pedal 105 is released and the saddle 102 is in its upper most posit-ion. The inside hoops 24 are then placed between the flanges 28 of the eX- panders and clamped by means cf the spring pressed lingers 48, rlie sheets of veneer are then placed underneath the flanges 81 of the end clamps 80. The veneer is thus bent into approximately cylindrical shape and the ivire hoop 31a is placed around the outer end, While the same is-supported on the saddle 102. The pedal is then depressed to raise the clutch'nieinber 92, thiis connecting the gear 53 to the pinion 65, which drives the crank disk 74 to operate theexvpanders. The pedal 95 is immediately re` leased, so that as the gear 65 completes one rctation the clutch is disconnected. At this point, the crank disk 74 will have been retated to t-he position shown in Figure 1, in which the spindle 11 is moved to the limit ofi its left hand movement, and the blades .m ay be removed.

32 will voccupy the position shownfin Figure 2. During the initial part of the lett hand movement oi' the blades, the end clamps 30 will be drawn inwardly by the inwardly inclined portions ot the lett handslo'ts 36, while the expanding members 2Q are'moved `outwardly by the outwardly inclined por` tions of the remaining slots in the blades. It will be noted also that the inclined portions of the slotsv actuating` the inner expanders are longer than the inclined portions of the other slots, so that the two hoops nearest the center of the barrel will -be eX- panded to a great-er degree than the end hoops, thus forming the usual bulge. The barrel is now irmly held by the expanding heads on the inside, and the tlanges 3l and wire hoop 31EL on the outside. The pedal 105 is now pressed downwardly and hooked beneath the clip 106, so that vthe saddle 102 is lowered out of contact with the barrel,

leaving the latter free'to be rotated with*l the l mandrel. l

The operator now depresses the pedal 90, raising the clutch member 80, and thereby connectingthe gear 53 to the collar 52 to rotate the shaft 48. This movement through the eccentric V60 andy ratchet wheel l0 rotates the mandrel and the barrel step by step, while the hoops 62 are ted underneath the stapling mechanisms 63, which are simultaneously actuated by the eccentrics 64 to perform the stapling operation. stapling operation is completed, the barrel is finished and the pedal 95 is againdepressed and immediately released, and the crank disk 74 will then be again rotated through a halt revolution bringing the crank pin 75 to its lowermost position and moving the spindle l1 and the blades32 to their right hand posit-ion, as shown in Figure 3, and with the heads22 contracted the completed barrel From the foregoing description, it will be seen that with this invention the entire operation oi assembling the inner hoops, the veneer and the outside hoops into position, and stapling all of the hoops simultaneously with the barrel in its completedV form may be carried out continuously and expeditiously without removing the Vbarrel from the machine until the operation has been completed;

VvWhile I have shownrthe speciiic construction of the various mechanisms for accom-` plishing the several steps of the operation, it is to be understood thatthese are merely illustrative, and that ma ny modifications may be made in the details of construction, ns well as in the relative arrangement of the same without departing from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the claims.;

What is claimed is:

1. In a barrel making machine, the combi- VVhen the `nation oi a mandrelhaving a-plurlity Tofy enpansible heads, means for clamping an inside hoop to each head, means ononeat least o'f the heads for holding the veneer about said hoops, means for expanding the inside hoop and the veneer while so held into the shape of a barrel, and means `for rotating the mandrel with the veneer; and

inside hoops so held while the outer hoops are being attached thereto. l

2. In a barrel making machine, the combi nation of a mandrel having a plurality of expansible heads formed with peripheral channels it'or receiving the inside hoops, M

means on the inner head for clamping the veneer against the inside end hoop, means for supporting the outside end of the veneer adjacent the inside hoop of the outer end,

means toi-,expanding the heads to expand 3. In a barrel making machine, the combi- `nation of a mandrel having aplurality` of expansible heads, -meansfor clamping an inside hoop to each head,Vl an expansible clamp 'overhanging the inner head` and H adapted to clamp the veneer thereto, means Yfor contracting saidlclampy to engage the veneer and simultaneously expand eachof the heads to press the veneer into the shape of a barrel.y and means for rotating theman- ,r

drelavith the barrel so held'while the outer hoops are applied. d d d 1 4. In a barrel making machine, the combination of a pedestal having an elongated bearing member secured theretol and extendingl laterally, a hollow mandrel mounted for rotation on the bearing member and having -a plurality of heads each comprising a plurality of radially movable sections, `means for clamping an inside hoop to each head, means on the inner head for clampingthe veneer, and means for moving the head seetions outwardly to expand the veneerV so held into the shape of a barrel, and means for rotating the mandrel with the inside hoops and veneer so held while the outer hoops are being attached.

5. In a barrel making machine,the cornbination of a pedestal having an elongated bearing member secured thereto and extending laterally, a hollow mandrel mounted for rotation on the bearing member and having` a plurality of heads, each comprising a plurality of outwardly movable sections and formed with peripheral channels greater distance than the sections of the end heads so as to bulge the intermediate part of the barrel, means for rotating the mandrel with the barrel thereon, and means for stapling the outside hoops thereto durinG' said rotation! In a barrel making` machine, the combination of a mandrel havinga plurality of radial guideways, heads having slotted stems slidably mounted in said guideways, blades extending longitudinally of the mandrel and traversing said slots, said blades having longitudinal cam slots therein, pins secured in said stems and extending through said cam slots, means for clamping inside hoop strips to the respective heads, means for clamping the veneer in proper relation to the hoop strips to form a barrel, and means for simultaneously moving all of said blades longitudinally to expand the heads while the inner hoop strips and veneer are so held. f

7. In a barrel making machine, the combination of a pedestal having an elongated bearing member secured thereto and extending laterally, a hollow mandrel mounted for rotation on said bearing member, said mandrel having series of wings forming radial guideways between them, a plurality of heads made up of arcuate sections, each section having a slotted stem slidably mounted in one of said guideways, a plurality of blades having cam slots therein, pins secured in said stems and extending through said cam slots, means for clamping inside hoop strips to the respective heads, means overhanging the head at the inner end to clamp the veneer in proper relative position to form a barrel, and means for moving all of said blades longitudinally to expand said heads.

8. In a barrel making machine, the combination of a mandrel having a series of spaced heads, each comprising a plurality of radially movable sections, means for clamping an inside hoop strip to each of said heads, an end clamp adjacent the innermost head and comprising a plurality of radially movable sections, each having a flange overhanging the adjacent head section and its hoop clamping means, and

heads moving a greater distance than the sections of the end heads, and means for moving the end clamp sections at the same time radially inwardly to clamp and hold the veneer.

l0. In a barrel making machine, the combination of a pedestal having an elongated tubular bearing member secured thereto and extending laterally, a hollow mandrel journaled on said bearing member and having a plurality of radial guideways, a plurality of heads each made up ot' sections having slotted stems slid-ably mounted in said guideways, an end clamp made up of sections and also having ms slidable in certain of said guideways, said clamp havin@ lianges overhanging the sections of the heads, a plurality of' blades extending longitudinally of the mandrel and traversing the slots in said stems. said blades having cam slots therein with inclined cam surfaces, pins secured in the stems and extending through said cam slots, a spindle slidable longitudinally within said bearing member and having at one end a spider rotatably mounted thereon and connected with said blades, and means for moving said spindle longitudinally to simultaneously move all of said blades longitudinally and thereby move the head sections and end clamp sections radially, the cam surfaces controlling the end clamp sections being inclined oppositely to the cam surfaces of the other cam slots.

l1. In a barrel making machine, the combination of a pedestal having an elongated bearing member secured thereto and extending laterally, a hollow mandrel mounted for rotation on the bearing member and having a plurality of heads, each comprising a plurality of outwardly movable sections and formed with peripheral channels for receiving the inside hoop strips, means on the inner head for clamping said hoop strips, means overhanging the latter for clamping the veneer, means for moving the head sections simultaneously outwardly to expand the veener and hoop strips so held with the sections of the inside heads moving a greater distance than the sections of the end heads so as to bulge the intermediate part of the barrel.

12. In a barrel making machine, the combination of a mandrel having a plurality of spaced expansible heads, means for clamping an inside hoop strip to each head, an end clamp adjacent the innermost head, means for moving the end clamp to clamp and hold the inner end of the veneer laid upon the heads, means for holding the other end of the veneer to the heads, means for expand- 13. In a barrel making machine, the oombination of a mandrel having a plurality of spaced oxpansible heads, means for clamping an inside hoop strip to each head, an

end clamp adjacent the Vinnermost head,

means for moving the end clamp to clamp and hold the inner end of the veneer laid upon the heads, means for holding the other end of the veneer to the heads, means for supporting the outer end of the veener, means for expanding the heads to expand the hoop strips and the veneer into the shape of the barrel While they are so held.

14. In a barrel making machine, the combination of a mandrel having a plurality of radial guideways, heads having slotted stems slidably mounted in said guideways, an end clamp made up of sections also having slotted stems slidable in certain of said guide- Ways, said clamp having flanges overhanging the sections of the adjacent head, blades extending longitudinally of the mandrel and traversing said slots, said blades having longitudinal cam slots therein, pins secured in said stems and extending through said cam slots, and means for simultaneously moving all of said blades longitudinally to expand or contract said heads, the cam surfaces of the slots in the stems of the intermediate bination of a mandrel having a plurality `of expansible heads formed with peripheral` channels for receiving the inside hoop strips,

vmeans on the heads for clamping said hoop strips, means overhanglng the inner end i head for clamping the veneer against the inside end hoop strip, means for supporting the outside end of the veneer adjacent the,

inside hoop strip of the outer end, and means for expanding the heads to expand the hoop f strips and the veneer into the shape of a` barrel.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signaf ture.

HUGH ooAcHMAN ALLsToN.` 

